Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Dig it, Groove-ophiles! If you're a fan of Western comics, you're probably a Bat Lash fan. If you're a fan of plain ol' great comix, you should be a Bat Lash fan. While the origins of Bat Lash are quite murky (involving pretty much a committee of top-level creators: Carmine Infantino, Joe Orlando, Sheldon Mayer, Howie Post, Sergio Aragones, Nick Cardy, and Denny O'Neil), one thing's for sure: DC set out to make their own version of TV's Maverick--and created an enduring cult classic.

What made Bat Lash so great? Well, besides the mind-staggering caliber of the strip's creators, Bat Lash was a deep, well-developed, extremely likeable character. In interviews O'Neil calls Bat Lash a "charming anti-hero," and that's dead-on. Lash is a peace-loving, violence hating, poetic soul trapped in a gambler's body. And he's a trouble magnet. Then there are the heart-moving, action-packed, sometimes hilarious stories crafted by writers Aragones and O'Neil. And finally, the masterful, fluid art of Nick Cardy.

Y'all that have been hankerin' for more Westerns...here ya go! From Bat Lash #1 (August 1968), here's "Bat Lash--We're A-Comin' ta Get You!"

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Note to "The Man": All images are presumed copyright by the respective copyright holders and are presented here as fair use under applicable laws, man! If you hold the copyright to a work I've posted and would like me to remove it, just drop me an e-mail and it's gone, baby, gone.

All other commentary and insanity copyright GroovyAge, Ltd.

As for the rest of ya, the purpose of this blog is to (re)introduce you to the great comics of the 1970s. If you like what you see, do what I do--go to a comics shop, bookstore, e-Bay or whatever and BUY YOUR OWN!